How Aphøtic is Synthesizing New Sounds in Hard Techno

Aphøtic opens up about his meteoric rise in the scene, the state of hard techno and hard dance, and officially announces Synthesis Records.

As the contemporary hard techno style continues gaining momentum and opting for harsher sounds, artists have also thrived in the current iteration that rides the fine line between hard dance and techno without clearly leaning one way or the other. Of the producers responsible for this current sound, none have been as influential as Dutch artist Aphøtic.

In 2023, Aphøtic changed the landscape of the hard techno scene after releasing the viral record, “Thalassophobia.” This tune became an instant hit across the globe, further highlighting the new style of hard techno that sprinkles in monstrous screeches and distorted elements. Despite its massive success, however, it almost didn’t see the light of day.

It was very unexpected that this track gained so many streams and went this viral. It was one of the first tracks I ever produced and before I released it, I even hesitated because I thought that it wasn’t good enough. Everything after the release happened naturally. I was still studying, so it was a bit hard to combine the study life with the DJ life, but I managed to do both.
Aphøtic

“Thalassophobia” quickly became a crucial part of live sets worldwide. From techno titans like Sara Landry showing love in her now-iconic Boiler Room set to EDM megastars like Marshmello dropping it on the Ultra Music Festival mainstage, everybody needed to get their hands on this track.

For Aphøtic, the support in the United States was integral to his success and mind-blowing at the same time. “I saw DJs like Marshmello play [‘Thalassophobia’] in the US. Those moments made me realize that my career was about to get serious,” he said.

Since then, Aphøtic has become a key player in the scene overseas, earning spots at prestigious events like UNREAL, Verknipt Arena, Mysteryland, and much more. Hopefully, the list of accolades will continue growing as he eventually makes his way to the States. “My team is working hard to get a visa for me so yes, I will be playing for the US crowd soon,” he said.

When speaking of prestigious events, we would be doing a disservice by not mentioning that Aphøtic has been a part of both years that Defqon.1 Weekend Festival hosted a hard techno stage. This was a bold move by Q-dance, who saw the gap between hard techno and hard dance closing fast. Although the crowd was hardstyle-oriented, Aphøtic did not change his preparation method as he doesn’t let event bookings get in the way of his artistic vision.

At Defqon.1 2024, I played a few harder tracks which I always like, but I never truly felt the perfect moment to play them. It was nice because it was possible to play these harder tracks, and I even closed with a Frenchcore record. Of course, I knew people would like the harder style tracks, but I think it’s good that I played my own style. In the end, people made the decision to come to my stage and set, so they knew what to expect.
Aphøtic

Still, Aphøtic is welcoming of the hard dance and hard techno scenes fusing in today’s unique blend of styles. “I think it’s cool,” he said. “If it works, it works. Mixing scenes creates opportunities for new inspiration and more unique tracks.” Even with this positive outlook, Aphøtic acknowledges that predicting the scene’s future is difficult. While he sees techno retaining its popularity, he feels the music will constantly change.

I think techno will be more mainstream and it will maybe even blend more with other genres like hardstyle/hardcore. For me, I think I really found my style at the moment, and I will stick to that for as long as possible.
Aphøtic

With his eyes set on the future, Aphøtic is excited to share plans for his brand-new label, Synthesis Records. The label is an extension of his artist name as it’s based on the aphotic zone, or the deepest part of any body of water where sunlight can’t reach. Where there is no sun, there is no photosynthesis, and therefore, almost no life.

This is where the label comes into play, injecting life into the Aphøtic zone. Fans will quickly notice that this also plays off his biggest hit, “Thalassaphobia,” which is the fear of unknown ocean depths. “The label will be focusing on dark tracks. Mainly, it will focus on Schranz, but there will also be a touch of industrial,” he explained.

In 2025, Aphøtic’s primary goals are to build Synthesis Records, create a strong community, and continue playing at bucket list venues and events. There’s no doubt that Aphøtic will crush his goals this year, and he offered aspiring producers some advice on achieving their dreams as the conversation ended.

My main advice always is to simply release music. If people like it, you will be discovered. Connections are also important, so try to show your face at events where you want to play.
Aphøtic